


Close

by Ukthxbye



Series: Don't Complicate It [9]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Crimes & Criminals, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Irene is bad at feelings, POV Irene Adler, Plot Twists, Sherlock Texting, Suspicions, plot what porn, the past sneaking up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 13:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19888927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ukthxbye/pseuds/Ukthxbye
Summary: Something chases Irene into Greg's bed she's not ready to face. But morning light makes everything more complicated.





	Close

The wind pressed her on, late and howling in the dark as she rushed toward her goal, eyes searching every corner and alley as she jogged past them. Code typed in with shaking fingers, snatching the door open and slamming her body against it to assure it latched. She rubbed her hands to ease the tingling cold, taking each stair step with care. Every assurance that her debts paid now in question. 

The key turned quiet, her tremors rubbed away but her heart beat loud still in her ears. She paused as she leaned into the door to lock it with a soft click. She needed to calm her pulse. She slipped off her running shoes, hearing her phone buzz in her bag, she reached in and turned it off without looking at the text.  _ You can face it later, but not now, _ she sighed. 

She found her bottle of half-drank wine in the back of the fridge, and she tipped the bottle back. Surely he heard the door she pondered as the alcohol rushed into her blood and slowed her pulse. But he didn't emerge from his room. 

She'd visited once before at this hour. But then only an itch to scratch and safe place to do so with no complications. The door barely closed before he shoved her against it. Breath and teeth and cries of pleasure. Images flood her mind in the silence wrapped around her. The stillness and quiet disconcerting and she drained the bottle.

His door cracked, and she peered in, spying him flailed out in the middle in a deep slumber, soft snoring the only sound. She glanced back at the sitting room. The sofa is where she should lay down and perhaps she might wake before him. But if he did find her there? The questions she couldn't answer. No, she needed him to believe this is just the same as before. It ’ s for sex, for that itch that they both keep digging their nails into against all better  judgement . Opening the door enough to slip in, she padded to the bedside. 

She stared, studying every breath for a sign of awareness. A knee on the bed should wake him but give her the space to avoid any violent reactions. But she hesitated. Logic told her she could have sex and a safe space to sleep after. But the  _ after _ fed her reluctance.  _ It's just sex, it's just what you've done so many times. _ And she'll enjoy it, he'd not failed to assure that yet. But a different alarm bell rang in her head and she can't shake it. Intangible and yet she perceived it skirted along lines she crossed before to her detriment. Behind that alarm bell, a small rise in anger and she turned on her heels to leave.

"Baby doll, if you want _ that _ just know it's  gotta be on the slow side," he mumbled.

Her breath caught as she looked over her shoulder to see he remained in the same position, eyes still closed. 

Swallowing, she turned back with a smile. "It is rather late or early... but it's not as if we are the hurried--"

He  grunted, "Irene just get in bed lord you are  gonna be...." he paused and sat up, slipping his shirt off and tossing it to the side. She slipped off her jacket and pulled her own shirt over her head. 

She met his eyes as they drank in her shadowed form stripping her trousers off, tracing the curves in the street light from his window as she took two steps to the bedside. His hand light on her wrist and he tugged her onto the bed and on top of him, resting a lazy hand at the base of her spine. 

She laid her arms across his chest, resting her chin on them, "DI, are you going to go back to sleep on me?"

He chuckled and traced a finger up her spine so light she shivered.

"You woke me, baby doll, because you needed something... and can't just be the wine you finished off." he pushed her hair behind her ears. 

"Maybe I do," she sighed moving her lips to kiss his as she slid her hips up and he moaned in satisfaction. 

But he broke the kiss, moving a hand to her face, "Tell me what it is...I..."

_ Too eager and seeking _ she heard it in his voice and she hoped the dark of the room hid her reaction. If he felt her heart leap, then she was done for. 

She laughed it off, "You know what I need."

And with that he rolled over on top of her, peppering increasingly more biting kisses clearing the concerns and fears with each moment as they melted into each other. 

- :-

The smell of cooking bacon drifted into his room and Irene popped her head up. _Shit._ It had been that kind of slow fucking and they both fell asleep in the after haze. She rubbed her eyes, combing her fingers through her hair, and looking for an escape. She'd broke one of her rules to not sleep over after they were awake. After all, hardly worked to advantage last time she tried it. She needed her phone and to face facts that… _my phone is out there, dammit._

Her stomach grumbled, and she rolled her eyes at herself. But some coffee would help she thought. She got up and found a dress shirt of his. "Make a good show of it after all." Cliches have their purpose, and she needed him distracted.

In the lavatory, she checked her hair, running her fingers through to smooth it to a style and noted her faded makeup. "It's a look," she smirked and searched, finding a flannel, running the cold water through it, wringing it tight. Snooping a bit, she came across his skincare in a basket. "I'm impressed, DI," she snickered softly, "that's how you keep those boyish looks then." Cleanser took the rest of the makeup off and with face cream after she felt a little more herself. 

She began to button his shirt from the bottom but after a couple buttons just left it open. Distraction her aim after all at some point. She walked in slowly, eye shooting to her bag but back to him, busy at the stove. She glanced back at her purse. 

"Morning, baby doll."

She shot a quick smile at him. And there's that boyish grin, like the cat that caught the canary as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Morning, DI," she sighed. "I want you to know that..."

He put a plate of eggs, bacon rashers and toast at a place on the table, and wrapped his arm around her, tipping her chin up with his hand. "Shh. Eat breakfast first, how you like your coffee?"

"Black."

"Perfect. Me too." he dropped her chin and with one lingering glance down, he released her and headed back to the kitchen. 

"But really I do—"

"Look fabulous in the morning," Same grin she could hear even if she couldn't see it. 

"This is... awkward."

"How so?" he came back to the table setting down two mugs. 

"Because we are... aren't..."

"Yeah … " he looked like he was pondering the thought she guessed and waited. 

"But hey, you  gotta eat. I'm not rude and I like a nice breakfast on the weekend before footie so why not?"

She sat, letting him see his shirt gap and took a sip of her coffee. Best thing about cops is they love really strong coffee, she mused as he munched on a bacon rasher looking at his mobile. 

She tried the eggs and decided on toast. 

"Besides you're the one who decided to sleep over. Any reason?" His face neutral but something in his voice made her tense. 

Lifting her mug, she pulled a grin and then sipped slowly. He waited, she cast her stare down to his fingers, still but taunt hovering over fork he set down. She lifted her eyes with an open gaze. But as her lips parted the words choked. Pleasant lies always flowed, and she blinked in shock as they sat in the front of her mind and died in the back of her throat. And he chuckled as she pursed her lips.

"Yeah... that's what I thought," he sighed as he rose taking his coffee mug with him.

"Getting a shower. You wanna join?" That damn grin once more but she couldn't shake the discomposure. Like sand slipping through her fingers, all the pieces she set up falling around her. She put a smile back on but it fell with his next words.

"Or perhaps you need to turn your phone back on and check it. Odd to not hear it buzz," he shrugged, ending the conversation walking away to his room.

She rushed to her purse, holding the power button shaking as she waited. She shot her eyes back in his direction and breathed out in relief when she heard the water start. She scrolled frantic at the words and threats before her. Different numbers every one of them. And she knew the connection. She'd have to change the number in his phone later. That meant coming at night when he was sleeping.  _ Maybe just an excuse of some other kind, _ she thought. She messaged an associate to know if he heard about these rumblings. 

**_I'll send you screenshots._ **

**_Funny how he just can't stay dead, eh?_ **

**_This isn't a joke. Check my place let me know if it safe._ **

She shook her head and waiting for his text.

**_I know. I'm on it. Because it_ ** **_’_ ** **_s my head too._ **

She picked up her shoes by her purse and snuck into his room, dropping his shirt and stepping into her trousers and throwing her shirt on. As she slipped her shoes on she heard the water stop. She sat on the edge of the bed, tying her shoes. A cold hand on her arm. 

"Baby doll … "

"See you soon. Text you later." She jumped up, planting a quick kiss and a glance at him in just a towel, but his hand stopped her turning her head away.

It's dangerous, but she meets his soft gaze with hers. His thumb tracing her cheekbone his fingers sliding over her ear into her hair pulling her head back as his other hand pushed against her back to press into him. 

"You'll have to tell me one day." His voice low and rough dark eyes steady and shining. 

"I'm afraid I will, DI," she whispered as the corner of her lips lifted slight but his lips covered them, his tongue finding a break. She let him and relished a small moment of what they both were oh so good at together. 

She broke the kiss, and murmured into his lips, eyes shut tight still. "You have a game to watch. I have one to play."

She grabbed her things and flew out of the room. The flat door shut behind her before she took another ragged breath. 

"Dammit," she gritted, wiping away wetness at the edge of her eyes with the heel of her hand as she hit the pavement outside, hailing a cab. Her phone buzzed as she slid in. 

**_Text me today. Like you always do.-DI_ **

She squinted at the words,  analysing between the lines. A number of responses she could send back. Distance created composure in her reactions, but something rang in the back of her mind again and panic crawled into her throat. Treacherous and threatening the comfort of this affair they foolishly started. All the rules they made becoming null and void.  _ It cannot end well, it never does,  _ she mused. She typed a text back, anyway.

**Bit busy but I'll keep you updated. Very sorry I had to leave you in only a towel.-BD**

**Mutual. Come by tonight...**

Dots followed but stopped. Then they started again, as if he typed something and stopped himself, she thought.

**If you want of course.-DI**

**I'll let you know.-BD**

**I mean it. Just text me.-DI**

Her eyes shut tight as the cab pulled to the curb. When she opened them and stepped out, a nod from her associate standing at her door told her it was all clear. 

"Hey."

She put up her hand. "No. And no one comes here today. Make yourself useful and find out what you can." 

He nodded again, opening the door and shutting it behind her before heading down the street. 

On the credenza her other mobile buzzed. But she knew the messages there tainted as well. She grabbed it up, glancing to see the top text.

**_It's time I collected on that_ ** **_favour_ ** **_._ **

With a growl and scream, one she held in for hours, she threw the mobile hard as she could, and watched as it smashed into the wall falling into pieces. She slowed her panting and walked over to it letting the plastic and glass crunch under her shoes. She pulled out her intact phone, typing away with a sly smile as she climbed the stairs.

**_Home safe and sound and about to shower. Would you like me to think of you?-BD_ **

**_I like the thought of it.-DI_ **

**_I'm sure you do.-BD_ **

**_I'm trying to watch the match but you're distracting me... keep it up.-DI_ **

**_Incorrigible.-BD_ **

**_You started it. Takes one to know one. You like it.-DI_ **

She paused at those words. She still had the upper hand, right? She pondered if she ever did and cursed herself. She would be thinking of him but not in the way she expected or wanted. 

**_Starting the water now, Talk to you later.-BD_ **

**_-_ ** **_:-_ **

He smiled at the text, letting the noise around the pub fade as he contemplated the morning. His smile fell to a frown. She's good at hiding fear and yet, terrible, he mused. Her secret wasn't another woman or man or anything trivial as that. They had rules about that and the rule was it didn't matter. No, this was something big.

He pulled up another text chat.

**She came to mine last night. Something's happening- GL**

**Not particularly interested in details of your tryst with Miss Adler-SH**

**You know I'm not talking about that. She's scared for some reason. Really scared.-** **Gl**

**What did you do to** **her** **? Not very becoming of a Detective Inspector- SH**

**OH for fuck's sake. Get your brother to look into it. She had her phone turned off while she was at mine. That never happens. Even you have to know that. That's just one clue. She slept at mine too.-GL**

**"Must be love then. -SH**

**Jesus Christ. Just let your brother know and get some info if you can for me. Discreetly please -GL**

**Fine. I trust not all your facilities have been compromised, your concern is valid, and it is relevant to previous conversations.-SH**

**Thanks-GL**

**You are prepared for anything we find out I assume-SL**

**Molly really made you go soft. Truth is all I need. My heart isn't on the line but thanks for asking.-GL**

**I'll let you know. Don't do anything stupid.-SH**

He started type that he never does but he deleted and let it go. Sherlock always liked the last word, anyway. His concern was for his own career and reputation if something went pear shaped, he told himself. But a tiny panic rising in up in his chest told him that was a lie. He had to control that. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to Mouse9 as always
> 
> Thanks to friend AllbackToFront for advice on Irene actions in story
> 
> Oh shit there's plot now! Stay tuned it gets a bumpier from here on out for a bit. Who is showing back up on the crime scene? Is she hiding something? Should she trust Greg? Should he trust her? And feelinsg are complicated and sneaky sometimes..


End file.
